Love and Distractions
by Quill of Minerva
Summary: Albus wants to propose to Minerva but things keep getting in the way. Will he ever be successful? Cowritten with Ang. from Hogwarts Duo.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: "Love and Distractions"  
Rating: PG-13  
Disclaimer: We don't own them…just borrowing them for a bit.  
Summary: Albus wants to propose to Minerva but things keep getting in the way. Will he ever be successful? Co written with Ang. from Hogwarts Duo.**

**A/n: This is a repost of our story. Hope you enjoy.**

**"Love and Distractions"**

_**Reflection and A Ring **_

**Albus Dumbledore paced up and down his study. He would occasionally stop to look out of the window and then sigh with frustration. **

**"Where is it?" Albus spoke out loud. **

**Fawkes who was the only company Albus had in his office, looked up at his master and cooed softly before placing his head under his wing. **

**Albus had searched high and low for the perfect ring for the love of his life. He hadn't been able to find one that stood out from the hundreds he had seen. In the end, he had designed the ring himself and sent the description away so it could be made. It should have arrived early this morning but it was quickly approaching midday and there was still no sign. **

**Albus sat down in his chair behind his cluttered desk and reflected on the relationship he had with Minerva McGonagall. They had meet at Hogwarts when she was still a student and he had just been appointed transfiguration professor. He felt an instant draw to her. Nothing happened while she was a student but as soon as she graduated, he had asked her out and to his delight she had accepted. Despite the apparent age gap between them, he found Minerva to be his equal in every way. When he was in his youth, his great-aunt had told him that he would find his soul mate but it may take time. Albus believed that he had found his soul mate in Minerva. He had planned to propose years ago but then Grindelwald happened and Albus decided that he couldn't put Minerva at risk. So their relationship became a secret. **

**It had been some years since Grindelwald had fallen and Albus had been made Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry just a few weeks ago. Minerva had accepted the deputy head position as well as taking over as Transfiguration professor. She had been teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts up until now. After graduating from Hogwarts with full honors, she had become an auror, but gave it up to teach alongside him once a position became available **

**He glanced down at his cluttered desk and his gaze fell upon a picture of Minerva, standing in front of a waterfall. Minerva was smiling and waving at Albus, her long thick ebony colored hair flowing in the invisible wind. The Minerva in the picture blew Albus a kiss before disappearing from the picture. **

**A sound from the window made Albus look up and to his delight he saw a large snowy owl flying towards the office window, carrying a tightly wrapped parcel in its claws. Albus swiftly moved over to the window and waited for the owl to land. The owl landed importantly and hooted at Albus, who quickly tipped it and untied the parcel from its leg. The owl flew away into the distance, not that Albus noticed it going. **

**Albus opened the elegant box and looked at the ring. It was made of white gold. In the middle, it had an emerald that matched her eyes and it was surrounded by two diamonds. It wasn't an elaborate ring but it was as elegant and beautiful as she was. It had been hard trying to find out her ring size; he had to root around in her jewelry box to find a ring. It happened to be the ring that she wanted to wear that evening and because Albus had taken it without her knowledge, they spent hours searching for it and missed their dinner reservations. Albus closed the box and placed it safely into one of the many pockets in his midnight blue robes. **

**"Wish me luck old chap," said Albus to Fawkes who was falling asleep on his perch in the far corner of the office. **

**Fawkes simply cooed again in reply and didn't even look up when Albus exited the room. Albus walked along the corridor and turned sharply around the corner that led to the transfiguration classroom. He knew Minerva would be there because she had told him she wanted to get her lesson plans for the coming year out of the way. He found her seated behind her desk, immersed in her work. **

**"Can I interrupt you for a moment?" he asked as he walked into the classroom and dropped a kiss on her neck. **

**"An interruption would be lovely," she replied as she put her quill down and looked up at him. **

**"I've come to ask if you would visit me tonight," he said. **

**"I thought I was coming up to see you anyway tonight as we have to discuss the coming school year," she replied. **

**"Oh yes," he said, a small blush creeping up on his cheeks. "Well, I shall see you tonight, my love, and wear that present I got you last Valentine's Day." **

**It was Minerva who blushed this time, more brightly than he did before. He bent down and softly brushed his lips against hers before sweeping out of the classroom, leaving her to her lesson plans.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Tonight's the Night **

Minerva sank into the large tub and relaxed her head against the edge. She was looking forward to spending a quiet evening with Albus, even if they did have to discuss school business. Then her thoughts turned towards his unexpected visit this afternoon and his simple yet powerful request, _wear that present I got you last Valentine's Day. _She flushed again at the memory of that special day and the results of Albus' choice of gifts. She had expected a bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, or even a nice meal. But the last thing she imagined was that he had gone to London in search of a very special negligee for her to wear. But he had really outdone himself. His choice was impeccable and the results had been amazing for both of them. Not sure if the heat of the water or her sudden rise in body temperature had caused her face to warm, she decided that if she didn't hurry she might actually be late and that was certainly not an option.

Meanwhile, Albus began pacing again in his office. It wasn't like him to be this uneasy about anything in regards to Minerva but this was different. Even the portraits on the walls noticed the change and they whispered among themselves until Phineas Nigellus broke the silence.

"Albus Dumbledore! If you don't stop pacing this office you won't have any carpet left on the floor. Would you care to discuss what's on your mind with a couple of witches and wizards who have nothing better to do than watch you work yourself into a frazzled state? And isn't Professor McGonagall supposed to arrive soon? You think we're nosey… she'd probably give you dose of Veritaserum to learn what ails you. Come on chap, let us help!"

Albus contemplated his options and decided that the portraits of the previous headmasters and headmistresses would find out soon enough and now was as good a time as any to share. But they must keep this a secret until he had actually proposed to Minerva.

"If you all promise to keep this a secret, then I will share my thoughts with you. However, it is vitally important that we keep this amongst ourselves. Is that understood and agreed upon?" Assuring him that they had no intentions of discussing what was said with anyone outside the office, Albus began to explain.

"Today is a very special day for me and I am a bit nervous. As I am sure you have noticed, Professor McGonagall… Minerva… and I have been an unofficial couple for years. We spend our holidays together and share our deepest, most intimate secrets with one another." He noticed that a few of the portraits had started to whisper amongst themselves and he knew why. "And you are aware that we have even spent our nights together on occasion. So it should come as no surprise to any of you when I announce that tonight I plan to ask her to marry me." A round of applause, cheers, and whistles was heard throughout the headmaster's chambers and it took him several minutes to calm them down again.

Dilys Derwent had always been fond of Minerva and had considered it her expert opinion that one day she would make an excellent Deputy Headmistress or even Headmistress one day. And she had remarked on more than one occasion how well suited Albus and Minerva seemed to be for one another. "Albus, if you are sure she is the one, and I truly believe she is, then why are you so nervous? Surely you don't doubt her feelings for you. We have all seen the way you two act whenever you're together. It's like there's not another person in the room, even though it's crowded. Come on! Where's that famous Gryffindor courage we're always hearing so much about? Just tell her how much you love her and give her the ring. It's as simple as that!"

"Hold on a minute there, Dilys! Albus has every right to be nervous. It's not everyday a man takes the plunge! And he wants it to be perfect." Fortescue was one of the older headmaster's of Hogwarts and one that Albus always looked to for a candid opinion. Noticing that he had Albus' undivided attention he offered his suggestions for the night ahead.

"In my day, son, we would speak to the maid's father and ensure that her dowry had been established. Once that issue had been settled, it was merely a formality to ask her. I assume you don't have to do that these days but it never hurts to ask those types of things. But, since you are so sure that she's the one, that's probably not even a consideration in your mind. Besides that, she lives here anyway so there's not even the matter of where you'll reside in question. Having said all of that, make sure it's a romantic night. Take her somewhere special and wine and dine her. Then as the evening comes to a close, just ask her straight out. She seems like a no-nonsense sort of woman anyway."

Albus furrowed his brow. Fortescue had, for once, offered very little in the way of help. And now he had all of the other portraits chiming in with their advice… and all at once!

"Women love flowers. Give her those and the ring. You do have a ring, don't you?"

"And don't forget to tell her what she means to you. They love that sort of romantic stuff!"

"Oh take her for a moonlit stroll. She'll love that!"

An argument broke out amongst the occupants as to which course of action was required and it wasn't until former Headmaster Dippet cleared his throat that they settled back into their perspective frames and listened.

"Albus, we are certain that she will say yes to your proposal. Furthermore, we are only trying to help but it seems that we each have our own ideas about what is best. You know her like a book and I would suggest that you spend a few minutes alone in quiet contemplation. Reflect on your relationship with her and it will all fall into place. Just let your heart be your guide and it will all be perfect." Offering one of his broadest smiles, Armando then turned to the others and directed a very stern glare at them. "And we will all leave you alone this evening so that you may have complete privacy to do as you wish. Is that understood?" Mumbles and grumbles were heard but they all agreed to give Albus and Minerva the much-deserved solitude of a quiet office. As Albus walked away he couldn't help but hear the verbal abuse Armando was taking for banishing them from the office. The snooping crowd had planned to stay to watch the entire affair, but thanks to Armando's quick thinking, they would not have to worry about prying eyes.

Back in her chambers, Minerva surveyed her slender frame with approving eyes. She had slid into the very revealing piece of fabric from Albus and as she stared into the mirror, she thought back to the first time she had worn it for him. Then an impish gleam appeared in her sparkling emerald green eyes. She decided to tease him a great deal before finally surrendering to his charms, which would surely enhance the mood of the evening. With a few last minute preparations and her green robes covering the sexy nightie, she made her way to his chambers for a night of fun and relaxation.

Albus inspected the room and everything looked perfect. He checked the pocket of his robes one last time and assured himself that the ring was, in fact, nestled safely inside. He had charmed the fire to burn strongly throughout the evening without any supervision. The ceiling had been transfigured to reflect the starry night outside, complete with shooting stars, which he thought would be a nice touch. Soft music played in the background, just barely loud enough to hear without straining. Flowers, in every shade and variety adorned the room and filled it with their intoxicating scents. And who could forget the soft glow of dozens of candles effortlessly hanging in the air?

"So Fawkes, what do you think?" A soft tune floated across the air in response, letting Albus know that his familiar was pleased. "My friend, would you mind it if I asked you to leave us alone this evening? I know this is your home too but I would appreciate it if Minerva and I had the chambers all to ourselves this evening." Without a moment's hesitation the large red and gold bird flew to Albus' shoulder and playfully nipped his ear. Then releasing one last perfect note, he flew out the open window into the night sky just as Minerva's knock sounded on the door. Taking one last look at his accomplishment, he called for her to enter as he released the breath he had been holding.

When she entered the room, Minerva was stunned. They had spent many romantic evening alone together but Albus had outdone himself this time. Crossing the room to his inviting arms, she sighed happily as he held her close. "This is all so beautiful, Albus. You must be expecting someone important this evening. Shall I go and come back at a later time?"

Playfully nuzzling her neck, he mumbled _when you start cheering for the Slytherin Quidditch team_ against her skin and the caress of his voice bouncing off her neck sent waves of pleasure washing over her body. She allowed him to spend several more minutes lavishing her with affection before she finally pushed him away in an attempt to stick to her plan of taunting and teasing.

"Albus dear, we really must try to control ourselves. You have done a beautiful job with the atmosphere and we don't want to waste it. And I'm famished. What have you prepared for our culinary enjoyment?" A sparkle of mirth danced in her eyes as she met the twinkling gaze of the man before her. She couldn't help but think how much fun this was going to be and how sweet the reward later in the evening. Little did she know what actually was in store for them or what Albus had planned this particular evening.

Minerva enjoyed every moment spent with Albus, but for some reason he was being more attentive and affectionate. He had asked her to wear the special attire so she had an idea of where the evening was going and that delighted her. Yet, he seemed nervous and, at times, a knowing smile curled about his lips. As they slowly swayed to the music in his sitting room, surrounded by the warmth of the crackling fire, Albus hummed the tune in her ear as she seductively played with his beard and lightly touched the back of his neck with her long fingers. Capturing her soft lips with his own, he nibbled at her lower lip until she gave in and deepened the kiss.

Moments of sheer pleasure wrapped them in a companionable silence and Albus felt that the perfect time had arrived. Drawing her even closer to him, he motioned for her to sit on the couch and get comfortable. Minerva was puzzled at this new development but thought it best not to question him. He had obviously planned this evening down to the last detail and she had no intentions of ruining his efforts.

Bringing his hand to softly cup her cheek, Minerva closed her eyes and leaned into his embrace. When Albus finally found his voice, she noticed that it was softer that normal and there was a slight hint of a quiver.

"Minerva, I have loved you for years and you are the most beautiful woman in the world. I cherish every waking moment we spend together and you are the woman that fulfills all of my dreams. And I find myself wanting to make more and more of those dreams a reality with you. Minerva, would you…"

A loud crash caused both professors to look in the general direction of the door. There he floated in all his outlandish attire! Peeves had managed to wreck the most important moment in Albus Dumbledore's life and he was not amused! He was even less thrilled when Peeves began taunting them with his silly childlike behavior.

"Albus and Minerva… kissing by the fire… Think I'll go tell everyone… 'cause I am the Hogwarts crier!" Albus had rarely lost his temper and yet he was so close to shouting things he knew he would regret later. Taking a steadying breath, he apologized to Minerva and walked over to Peeves.

"I have never been so utterly appalled at your actions as I am this evening. You have barged into a very private moment and I do not appreciate your actions. If you breathe a word of this, I will personally see that the Bloody Baron escorts you everywhere you go. Now, you will leave these chambers at once and find a quiet place in another section of the castle to think about what you have done. I will be speaking with the Baron in the morning, rest assured. And from this day forward, you are forbidden to enter the headmaster's quarters, unless specifically invited to do so. Is that clear?"

Peeves did not make it a habit to listen to authority figures at Hogwarts but the look in Albus Dumbledore's eyes made his intentions perfectly clear. He had overheard the portraits talking in the staff room about the headmaster proposing to the transfiguration teacher and he had wanted to have a little bit of fun. Unfortunately, his timing had been atrocious and had angered the great Dumbledore. Blowing a raspberry at the two lovers, he began chanting a different tune about Nearly Headless Nick as he disappeared through the door.

"Oh Minerva, I am so very sorry for that display. I do not normally lose my temper but he startled me and ruined our evening."

Pulling him closer to her so that she was able to snuggle into his arms, Minerva breathily told him that the entire evening wasn't lost. "If you remember, you did ask me to wear a specific garment and I was hoping that you would tell me if it still looks good on me. Do you think you can put your anger for Peeves aside and focus your attention elsewhere? I promise to make it worth your while." As she seductively nibbled at his ear, he heard her begin to purr. Realizing that there would be other opportunities to propose properly, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom, where he would lose himself in the feel of her skin touching his as the day drew to a close.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: If at first you don't succeed try, try again .**

When Albus awoke the next morning he sighed loudly, he couldn't believe the timing of the troublesome poltergeist. He had interrupted the perfect moment, everything had been just how Albus had imagined and wanted it to be. Minerva had looked so beautiful and so enchanting in the candlelight and Albus had found himself falling in love with her all over again.

Albus looked down at the sleeping woman who was curled up close to him and he dropped a small kiss on the top of her head. Minerva opened her eyes slowly, her green eyes meeting his blue eyes. A soft smile graced her delicate features and she snuggled closer to him.

"Good morning my love," Albus whispered into her ear before nuzzling into her neck.

"Good morning!" she replied as she stretched her body in a way that reminded him of a cat.

"What are you up to today?" he asked.

"Spending it with you," she answered with a soft smile. She sat up slightly in bed and lent forward to kiss him tenderly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her closer to him.

"I'll think I'll have a bath," she said when the kissed ended.

"Let me run it for you!" said Albus quickly, he didn't want Minerva walking through the office to the bathroom because the portraits were bound to ask her how the evening had gone. "I will come and get you once it's ready for you," he told her.

"Do you have a guilty conscience?" she teased as he climbed out of his four-poster bed.

"I just want to pamper you, my little pussy cat," he replied before bending down and placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

Minerva curled up under the covers and clutched on to the pillow that belonged to Albus. Albus walked out of the bedroom and as soon as he entered the office, he was met by a chorus of interested voices.

"Do I hear wedding bells?" asked Armando Dippet.

"Don't keep us in suspense, old chap!" said Fortescue.

"Oh this is so exciting. Hogwarts hasn't had a wedding since Godric Gryffindor himself married Rowena Ravenclaw!" said Dilys Derwent, petting her wet eyes with a tissue that Fortescue had given her.

"She will make a beautiful bride, Albus," said Phineas Nigellus. "You are a lucky man."

Albus walked into the middle of the office and turned around to look at the expectant portraits that hung on the wall.

"There will be no wedding," he informed them.

It was not the answer they expected and the shock was clearly displayed on their faces.

"She turned you down?" questioned Armando.

"Bad luck old chap," said Fortescue.

Dilys could be heard weeping from behind her high-backed wing chair, she had been so shocked by what Albus had said that she stormed off.

"There will be no wedding yet because I haven't asked her yet," explained Albus "The moment was interrupted but I plan to ask her today over a game of chess, so I ask you for some privacy."

He could hear a few grumbles from some of the portraits but Armando Dippet soon told them all to stop acting like spoiled children and within minutes the portraits had emptied themselves of the occupants.

Once Albus was alone, he set about running the bath for his beloved. He walked into his bathroom and turned on the taps to his elaborate marble bath. He then poured Minerva's favorite bath essence into the hot water and watched as the bubbles formed. Within a few minutes the bath was full of hot water and he went to fetch Minerva. He walked back into the bedroom and saw that Minerva was sitting up in the bed, eating some scotch pancakes that Winky the house elf had brought up for her. Albus walked over to her and sat down beside her on the bed. He took a bite of the pancake that she had just prepared for herself and then licked the syrup off his lips.

"Your bath awaits you," he told her.

"Thank you," she replied as she slipped out of the bed and headed towards the bathroom. "Did you know that you had syrup in your beard?"

Albus smiled to himself as he watched her slip out of the bedroom still wearing the silky little negligee. Once she had disappeared into the bathroom, Albus set about preparing his second proposal. He walked over to the large dark oak cabinet and opened its large carved doors to reveal an array of different chess boards and boxes that contained the chess pieces. Albus took out a marble chess board and its matching chess pieces, he placed them down on the table near the fire and pulled out the engagement ring. He kneeled down beside the table and cleared his throat.

"My dear Queen, would you look after this ring for me?" he asked "Would you produce it as you near Minerva?"

The blue marble queen sprang of life and looked up at him, a small smile gracing her stone features. "Are you to ask for her hand in marriage?" she squeaked.

"Yes!" replied Albus, smiling back at the small chess piece.

"Well it's about time you made an honest woman out of her!" said the blue marble king , as he also sprang to life. "You've waited far too long and you have been living in sin. You have placed a slur on the good name McGonagall."

Albus looked down at his blue marble king with surprise.

"Hold your tongue!" scolded the Queen as she looked at the king standing beside her "Can I see the ring?"

Albus produced the ring and handed it to the queen who admired it before placing it behind her back. She had to hold it with both hands because the ring was too big for just one of her little hands.

"All I will say," said the king, "it's about time."

"I know!" replied Albus. "I had meant to ask sooner but things just got in the way."

"Excuses mean nothing!" said the king.

"Well I am asking her today," said Albus, who was growing tired of the argumentative chess piece. "I am nervous about this and you aren't helping my nerves."

"Albus!" came Minerva's voice. "Why in the name of Merlin are you talking to the chess pieces?"

She had caught him off guard and as he got up to turn around to face her, he knocked the chess board with his knee and it scattered all over the floor. Albus looked frantically around the floor for the blue marble queen. She was laying near the fireplace and to his dismay, she didn't have the ring. Before Albus had chance to search for the important piece of jewelry, Minerva called to him again.

"Albus! Leave it for now."

Albus turned around to see Minerva wrapped just in a forest green towel, her black hair hung loose around her shoulders and her sparkling emerald green eyes were shinning mischievously. She looked breathtaking.

"Come back to bed," she continued. "I just want to spend as much time as I can with you before the weekend is over."

She disappeared into the bedroom, throwing the towel that had been wrapped around her out into the office. Albus smiled to himself and followed Minerva into the bedroom, he would find the ring later. As he closed the bedroom door behind them, he was sure that he heard the blue marble king squeak "Sinner!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Wine and Dine Her **

Before long, the glorious weekend was over and it was back to the daily hectic routine for the Headmaster and the love of his life. Albus was thankful that they had been given the opportunity to spend so much time together over the weekend. They had rarely had a moment alone since the week started and he was beginning to get frustrated. He had hoped that by this time, they would be engaged and now everything was still up in the air. To make matters worse, he was constantly answering owls from the Ministry of Magic, parents, and anyone else who sought his expert advice on matters. But foremost in his mind was Minerva and his plans to seek her hand in marriage.

After the luxurious weekend spent in the arms of the man she adored, Minerva was finding it hard to concentrate on her classes. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but for some reason, Albus had seemed more attentive and loving towards her. But she certainly wasn't going to complain. He had made her feel so special and loved and that gave her the strength and resolve to deal with her exasperating students during weeks like this one. Although, she'd give almost anything to be back in the comfort of his living quarters stealing a few quiet moments alone with him. But she didn't have the time to spare on thoughts such as those at the moment. She had to buckle down and prepare the assignments for her classes and grade the essays before she could turn her attentions to her private matters.

By mid-week Albus had reached a breaking point. He had become so overwhelmed with paperwork and official duties that it seemed ages ago since he had spent any quiet time alone with Minerva. He decided to invite her to a chess match after dinner and with any luck, they would be able to relax. Also, he was still searching for the perfect opportunity to ask her the single most important question he would ever let pass through his lips. Maybe tonight would provide that surreal moment but the way his earlier attempts had gone, he was almost afraid to plan anything else.

Minerva arrived in his office almost half an hour late. She had run across a rather poorly written set of essays and marking them had taken longer than she had anticipated. When she realized the time, she had hurried to Albus' chambers and upon entering, she found him stretched out on the sofa before the fire, fast asleep. She looked at his sleeping form and noticed the peaceful expression on his face. Kneeling down beside the couch, she leaned towards him and used her slender fingers to lightly outline the features of his face. At first, he merely twitched his nose or moved his head slightly in response to her feather light touches. However, the more her soft skin touched his own, he became aware of her presence. Without any warning, he pulled her into his arms and after a gentle but loving kiss on her sweet lips, he enlarged the sofa as she snuggled into his warm arms and they drifted off to sleep without another thought of a chess match or a proposal.

The remainder of the week had been as wearisome and stressful as the beginning and by Friday morning Albus decided he had had enough! Looking out the large windows in his office, he developed a new master plan and quickly set about to put it into motion. Throwing some floo powder into the fireplace, he called out to Minerva, who was still in the process of dressing for the day.

"Coming Albus!" When she appeared in front of the fireplace, Albus had to stop himself from reaching out to touch her. Her tartan dressing gown was loosely closed about her slender frame and her hair still flowed freely about her shoulders. He wanted to shower her with 'good morning' kisses but there would be time enough for that if their weekend went as planned.

"Minerva, what have you planned for this weekend?" When she replied that there were no definite plans in her immediate future other than the necessary schoolwork, he nodded in approval, thanked her for the information, promised to meet her at breakfast, and disappeared from view. Puzzled, she stared for several minutes at the fire where his head had appeared, attempting to make sense of it all, but shrugged it off to another one of his brilliant ideas that she would be privy to later.

As the day drew to a lazy close, Minerva made her way to her own chambers and collapsed into her favorite armchair. She had a few quiet hours before dinner and she desperately wanted to relax. It had been a trying day with her students and she was looking forward to the weekend. She had just closed her eyes and felt her tight muscles softening when an unexpected visitor startled her.

"Honestly Albus! Was that really necessary? You scared the magic right out of me!"

"Ah my dear, I did not intend to scare you, merely to surprise you. Here, take my hand." Looking a bit bewildered and still trying to calm her breathing, she reached out to place her delicate hand into his only seconds before he activated a portkey and whisked her away to an undisclosed location, much to her astonishment.

When her world stopped swirling about her, Minerva surveyed her surroundings and was pleasantly surprised to find herself standing outside the Dumbledore estate in the countryside of England. She had visited Albus' ancestral home several times but upon each visit she found something new to love about this place and had become increasingly comfortable roaming the various corridors and hallways.

"I thought we could use a little quiet time to ourselves this weekend. I have informed the necessary people at Hogwarts that we will be away for a special meeting and will return Sunday afternoon. I hope you don't mind, but I felt that we both needed to get away."

"Albus, this is a wonderful idea but have you thought this through? I mean, I have no clothes, other than the ones on my back, and I know for a fact that you were scheduled for a meeting with the heads of houses on Saturday afternoon."

"Shhh! Not another word or worry. I had one of the house elves pack a bag for you, complete with your favorite bath oils, and I have taken the liberty of rescheduling my meeting until late Sunday afternoon. All you have to worry about is what you would like for dinner and how you would like to spend our Saturday." Casting her an impish smile that reached deep into his eyes, he couldn't help but add, "I have a few ideas of my own."

Saturday morning greeted the two refreshed professors with a sunny smile. Chuckling to himself, Albus admired the ring that had taken him an hour to find after his accident with the chessboard. He felt certain that the day ahead would provide the ideal situation for him to ask for her hand in marriage. He had planned to take her on a stroll around the grounds later in the afternoon and while they were out, the house elves were to arrange a very romantic dinner in the cozy sitting room. Yes, he was certain that nothing could ruin this night. He and Minerva were away from the school, which meant no Peeves. He had given up on the notion of having the chess pieces offer her the ring. No, tonight he would do things the old fashioned way. He would do things right this time.

Upon returning from their small trek in the twilight, Minerva made her way upstairs to take a quick bath before returning for dinner. Albus had showered hurriedly and gone downstairs to make sure that everything was in order and to oversee any last minute details. In inspecting the setting, he was pleasantly surprised at the romantic scene before him. The house elves must have read his mind. Romance was certainly in the air this evening.

Minerva descended the large staircase looking relaxed and lovelier than Albus had ever seen her. She smiled at him with a warmth that settled deep in his soul and he knew in his heart that this would be an evening they would remember for a lifetime. As he escorted her to the table set especially for them, he lavished her with compliments and did his best to make her feel like royalty.

Dinner passed quietly as the two ate the sumptuous meal prepared with their culinary tastes in mind. The house elves knew something special was to come from this evening but had not been told what. All they knew was that they were requested to bring the dinner trays and then they could have the remainder of the evening to do whatever they pleased. They had speculated about Albus' intentions but none dared to ask the powerful but caring wizard what he had mapped out for the evening. And really, they rationalized, it was none of their business. They would learn what they needed to know in good time.

After the main course was finished, Albus summoned the tray containing dessert. He had planned to ask Minerva the question that had been dancing around his head for days as soon as they had completed their sweets. Minerva had never been a fan of dessert and he planned to eat his quickly so that they could begin the real celebration once she had accepted his proposal. At least that was the plan. But all too often, the best-laid plans go horribly wrong.

Without really savoring the taste of his favorite dessert, Albus ate the last portion of his meal and eagerly eyed Minerva as she did the same. His heart was pounding in his ears and he could feel a wave of nervousness attempting to rise in his stomach. As he gazed across the table at her beautiful face bathed in firelight, he was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of what he was about to do. When she said "yes", their entire world would change for the better and he wanted everything to be perfect. She deserved that and so much more.

"Albus, why are you staring at me as if you were lost in a dream? Is something the matter?" Minerva searched his eyes for any sign that would shed some light onto the matter at hand but she found nothing but love and adoration staring back at her.

"No, Minerva. Nothing is the matter, but there is something I wish to discuss with you." Reaching across the table, he cupped her face with his tender hand and lightly stroked her cheek with his thumb. Leaning into his touch, Minerva closed her eyes and a flood of emotions began to work their own brand of magic on her senses. "My dear, I love you with all of my heart and soul. You are everything I have ever wanted in a woman and so much more. You bring a joy to my life that will never be matched and I cherish every moment we spend together."

By this time, tears had started to form in the emerald green eyes of Minerva McGonagall. She tried to suppress them but one slipped past her dark crescent eyelashes and splashed onto Albus' hand. "My love, why are you crying? This is not a time for tears." She explained that it was his loving words that brought tears of joy to her face and that he always made her feel so special on such ordinary days.

"Well my love, it is nothing less than what you deserve. You make even the more ordinary days, extraordinary! Minerva, would you do me the honor of…"

Just as he was about to speak the words he'd been practicing all week, a tall slender man came tumbling from the fireplace, crashing into their table and causing them all to hit the floor with unceremonious thuds. Minerva let out a scream of horror at the sudden intrusion of such an intimate moment as Albus tried to assess the situation and make some sense of what was happening. The remainder of their food was splashed on the floor, the bottle of wine was shattered, and everyone was in a disheveled heap. Seeing that Minerva was not harmed, Albus abruptly turned to battle the intruder only to learn that it was his very own brother, Aberforth.

"What in the name of Merlin's beard do you think you're doing here Aberforth?" Albus loved his brother and on any other occasion he would have greeted him with a warm smile and a tight hug. However, he had single-handedly and unknowingly ruined the third attempt Albus had made to utter a marriage proposal to Minerva and he was not amused to say the least.

"Well, dearest sibling of mine, in case you have forgotten, our parents willed this home to both of us and therefore I do not need an excuse to drop in whenever I choose. And I could very well ask the same question of you. Aren't you supposed to be up at the school doing something important? You are still the 'man in charge' at Hoggie-Warts are you not?" Aberforth had never been fond of the educational system for witches and wizards and made no efforts to hide his feelings. He had always asserted that a witch or wizard could learn so much more by experimenting and learning fundamental lessons instead of the frivolous book knowledge that had no real practical application in the world.

Minerva could sense a certain tension rising between the brothers and quickly tried to dismantle the argument before it ever had a chance to begin. "Aberforth, I think what Albus was trying to say was that… well… to be honest you startled us. We were having a quiet dinner and suddenly you were there and we were all on the floor. You have to admit, it was a bit of a nasty shock and I am sure you had not anticipated landing in the middle of a dinner table. But you both look rather silly with whipped cream on your faces. Albus, dear, you look simply scrumptious." Both brothers turned to face her and suddenly all three of them were in fits of laughter and Albus had regained his usual lighthearted composure.

Wiping away the remnants of dessert from his face, Albus tried again to get to the bottom of the intrusion. "She's right, Aberforth. Let me ask the question another way. What brings you to our home on such a lovely evening and why do I get the sense that you're in some kind of hurry by the way you continue to eye the fireplace?" Peering at his brother over the top of his half-moon spectacles, Albus was attempting to read the facial expressions of his sibling and create just enough tension so that he would feel compelled to explain everything. After all, Albus felt he owed them that much, even though he had no way of knowing what he had just done.

"Well you see, Albus, I'm in sort of a jam. Actually, it's not really a jam if you look at it from my point of view. I am in the right, you'll see. And don't let them tell you all sorts of nonsense about me. I did no harm at all and I think I might have made a significant breakthrough but those narrow minded people at the Ministry can't keep their noses out of everyone else's business and…"

"Aberforth, stop your rambling and tell me what's happened? Minerva and I were having a very quiet dinner and suddenly you're here rambling on about the ministry and experiments. And might I add, our evening is somewhat at a standstill until you solve this mystery."

"Dear brother, I had no idea you were wining and dining the beautiful and talented Professor Minerva McGonagall at our home this evening." Waving his hands in a grand gesture and peering at the somewhat blushing witch, he continued. "Obviously my timing is extremely bad and this was supposed to be a very romantic and intimate moment for the two of you. Judging by the atmosphere you've created one would think you were going to propose to her tonight." Laughing heartily at his own joke, Albus felt all the blood rush from his face and panic grab hold of his heart. In a feeble attempt to regain some control, Albus joined in his laughter followed shortly by Minerva, who really wasn't quite sure what was so funny.

"Aberforth you never cease to amaze me with your antics. Might I have a word with you in the library?" Gripping the elbow of his younger brother, Albus made his excuses to Minerva and ushered his sibling into the library across the hall.

As they entered the large room, Aberforth called back to the wide-eyed witch. "If I'm not back in five minutes, please call for help. I'm afraid I'm in serious trouble!" The last thing they heard before the doors were shut was the sound of Minerva's laughter ringing throughout the house.

"Aberforth Dumbledore, do you have any idea what you have done? I was, indeed, about to ask for Minerva's hand in marriage and I was mere seconds away from popping the question when you flew into our table. Now, kindly tell me what has happened so that I can help you solve your problem and get on with my evening."

"Why, Albus you sly old fox. You brought her up here for a weekend of Merlin only knows what and then you figured on romancing her to death right before asking her to be bound to you for a lifetime. So, let's see the ring. Were you planning to get down on one knee? Any idea of what you were going to say? I'll let you practice on me if it'll help. I don't mind and I can even wait here until you ask her if you need some moral support!"

By this time, Aberforth was gripping his sides from laughing so hard. He honestly felt bad for his older brother but there was a certain humor to be found in the whole ordeal and if anyone could see that it would be Albus. At least he hoped! When Albus failed to join in the lively round of laughter, Aberforth decided it was time to come clean.

"Alright, alright! Honestly, I don't see how that stunning woman would consider marrying you when you obviously fail to see the humor in this whole ordeal. I'm the one who should be upset with you. I had planned on using this place as a hideout until I can safely leave the country." Offering a questioning look at Aberforth, Albus encouraged him to explain further.

"Well, you know how I have always believed that one should test their own theories regarding certain aspects of magic and learn the practical lessons that life has to offer? I was merely trying to follow my own advice and some stick in the mud friends of yours at the ministry felt it was their duty to track me down like a wanted criminal. Now I'm on the run and am attempting to hide out here in a 'lovers' paradise'. But, I can tell by the look in your eyes…" After another admonishing look from the normally warm blue eyes turned cold, Aberforth Dumbledore felt it in his best interests to speed things along but was cut short by Minerva's voice beckoning them.

"Albus, there are some men from the ministry that would like to see you." As Minerva called out, Aberforth reached for the floo powder and rushed to the fireplace. Reminding his brother to disregard whatever it was they had to say about him, he was gone in an instant, just as the officials rushed into the room.

The ministry workers wasted no time in explaining their abrupt appearance to the highly respected witch and wizard. It seemed that Aberforth had been in the nearby countryside casting some rather unusual charms on some goats when the wizard who owned them called for their assistance. It would appear that Aberforth had been experimenting with these goats for weeks and this time had been caught, or so they thought. He had managed to trick the other wizard into coming outside of his home thus giving Aberforth a chance to rush in, cast a complicated locking spell on the door and use the floo network to escape to the Dumbledore estate. They assumed he would stop by the house first and then move on from there. However, now that he knew he was being chased, the ministry wizards hoped he would assume they had followed, giving him ample opportunity to return, where they would catch him. Or at least wait a little longer to see if he tried to contact his older brother again.

The usually calm and collected Headmaster of Hogwarts felt his blood pressure rise and a severe headache beginning to form at the base of his skull. All he had wanted and dreamed for days was a quiet weekend alone with Minerva. He had desired nothing more than to become engaged to the most wonderful witch he had ever known. Now, he was stuck spending his romantic Saturday evening with a group of wizards looking for his slightly odd brother, who had found nothing but comedy in this entire disaster of an evening. Albus knew that on Sunday he would be summoned, whether he liked it or not, to the Ministry where he would have to assist his brother out of another peculiar mess. And with his scheduled meeting later in the day, that meant that his quality time with Minerva had been drastically reduced and any further notions of popping the question were pounded from his head by the crazy antics of his brother. Turning to Minerva he apologized once again for another spoiled evening and finished his request for forgiveness with, "Be thankful you're an only child, my love. Just be thankful!"

Hugging him tightly to her, she whispered a question that caused his heart to leap into his throat. "Albus, right before Aberforth crashed our intimate party for two, you were about to ask me something. What was it?"

"Ah, well, you see I was going to… you see, Minerva, I was going to ask you if you would care to join me for a picnic tomorrow. I would love the chance to cook you a wonderful meal and lavish you with attention. But I suppose those plans will have to wait until later seeing as how my Sunday will be spent in meetings of one variety or another." For an instant Albus thought he saw disappointment flash in her eyes but chalked it up to the disappointment they were both feeling at having their plans altered so abruptly. Silently he vowed that he would make it up to her and they would find a way to be engaged if he had to move the mountains to do it!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: In sickness and in health **

Minerva sat behind her tidy looking desk in her private office, marking the last of the sixth year's transfiguration homework. She had been sat in her office for the last three hours and sighed with relief when she came to the end of the last parchment, she set her quill down next to the parchment and lent back in her chair.

Ever since the weekend, a question had been mulling around in her mind, why had Albus found the thought of marrying her so funny? She had never thought of the idea of marrying as funny, it seemed to her that marriage would be the next natural progression in their relationship. Granted, they had never sat down together and discussed marriage but she had always hoped that he would approach the subject, part of her had thought that he was going to propose to her that night when Aberforth rudely interrupted them. Another thought floated into her already overactive mind, had he been trying to break up with her? Had he met someone else and was trying to let her down easily by treating her like a princess so the blow wouldn't be so devastating? Minerva shook her head and scolded herself mentally for ever thinking that Albus would ever do something so cruel to her. He had been very loving and attentive over the last few weeks, it had been lovely to be pampered but perhaps he was doing all this because he felt guilty about something.

She didn't have a chance to question the thoughts running through her mind because she felt two hands gently massaging her tense shoulders. She smiled softly as she lent into his touch, letting the hands continue to work their own special magic as they dispelled the tense knots that had formed in her shoulders. All of her previous thoughts were soon forgotten as she relaxed.

"Are you hungry, my love?" asked Albus softly. "You missed dinner this evening."

"I had a lot of work to get done," she replied, "but now that you have mentioned it, I am rather peckish."

"Excellent!" answered Albus, reaching down for her hands and helping her to her feet. "I have us a picnic prepared."

"A picnic?" questioned Minerva, with a raised eyebrow.

"A moonlight picnic beside the lake," replied Albus, pulling her into his arms and holding her close. "We have hardly seen each other since the weekend and I am going to whisk you off so we can have some time together with the picnic I prepared."

"You've prepared a picnic?" asked Minerva with a small smile. "Don't you mean the house elves prepared it?"

Albus chuckled softly and buried his head in the crook of her neck, his bristles tickling her as he nibbled on her neck playfully.

"I did it all myself!" he said before kissing her lightly on the lips.

Albus then stepped away from her and took hold of one of her delicate fine-boned hands and lead her towards the door. He lead her out of her office and down towards the lake, which looked beautiful and magical in the moonlit sky. They reached a secluded part of the lake and Minerva saw that a large tartan blanket had been put down on the soft grass and a picnic basket was placed beside it.

"This is wonderful Albus," exclaimed Minerva as she sat down on the blanket and looked out on to the lake.

Albus sat down beside her and wrapped one of his arms around her waist, bringing her closer to him. He reached across and opened the picnic basket, he took out two champagne flutes and a bottle of ice cold pink champagne, which was Minerva's favorite. He offered Minerva a flute and then filled them both up with the chilled champagne, he planted a soft kiss on her hand.

Minerva reached into the basket and pulled out a small carton of fresh cream and a pullet of large juicy strawberries, she took one of them and dipped it into the cream and then popped it into Albus's mouth. He chewed it slowly as he watched her do the same with her own strawberry. A playful twinkle appeared in the headmaster's eye which went unnoticed by the deputy. He dipped a strawberry into the cream and brought it towards Minerva's slightly opened mouth but instead of placing it into her mouth, he brushed it against her nose then popped into his own mouth. He chuckled softly at the sight of her with cream on the end of her nose, he leaned forward and licked it off slowly. Minerva burst into a fit of girlie giggles and playfully smacked him on his chest.

"Albus!" she giggled.

"Yes my love?" questioned Albus innocently as he looked into her green eyes that were highlighted by the bright moon above them.

"I love you," she told him tenderly before kissing him.

"I love you," replied Albus when the kiss finished. "I must have some more of you with that cream."

He placed his finger into the carton and then brought it up to her face again, this time smearing the cream on her lips. He lent forward and dragged his tongue slowly over her lips, licking the cream off them. The moonlight picnic progressed with them feeding each other little bits of fruit, cakes, sandwiches and biscuits and Albus was experimenting what tastes went better with Minerva's skin, cream was his favorite.

About an hour later, Minerva was laid down on the tartan blanket with her head resting in his lap. Albus ran his long fingers through the long, silky black locks and looked down at her with love shining in his blue eyes. He reached into his robe pocket and fingered the box which the engagement ring was hidden safely in. Tonight would be the night that he finally would pop the question, he had been trying to for the last week or so. Nothing could spoil this moment, they would have no interruptions from family members or troublesome ghosts. The twinkling stars above them added to the romantic atmosphere Albus had created and he was full of excitement and nerves.

Minerva had her eyes closed and was savoring this quiet time she was having with him, the only thing spoiling the moment was the waves of nausea that kept coming over her and she was beginning to feel extremely hot despite the cool breeze from the lake.

"Minerva darling!" said Albus, breaking the silence.

"Yes," she replied as she ran her hand over her hot face. But before he could speak again she asked, "What was in those little sandwiches?"

"Tuna and prawn!" he told her, he had been slightly taken aback by that question that seemed to come from nowhere.

"Prawn?" questioned Minerva softly, she was allergic to prawns. She wouldn't have let Albus feed them to her, if she had known and she hadn't even tasted the blasted thing.

"Minerva," began Albus clearing his throat, "I simply can't imagine my life without you in it and beside me. We have been together for some wonderful years and my love for you keeps on going, you never seem to stop amazing me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I guess I'm trying to ask you is Minerva McGonagall would you..."

"I'm sorry Albus!" said Minerva, quickly rising to her feet. "I think I'm going to be sick."

Albus sat open-mouthed as Minerva disappeared into the dark and headed towards the school. Albus got to his feet and raced after her.

Minerva reached her private rooms and locked herself into her bathroom, she fell to her knees beside the toilet and was sick. Albus swept into her private rooms and made his way over to the bathroom, he found that the door was locked.

"Minerva?" he questioned, worry thick in his voice.

"Leave me alone," he heard her say from the other side of the door.

"Minerva, I'm coming in," he told her.

"No!" Minerva replied "don't Albus."

He ignored her and used his wand to unlock the door, he walked in and found Minerva bent over the toilet. He kneeled down beside her and tenderly rubbed her back.

"Albus," she moaned, "please go away."

"You're not well Minerva," he said softly, "let me go and fetch Poppy."

"No!" snapped Minerva before being sick again.

"I'm going to get Poppy."

"I'll be fine Albus, it's just my allergies!" Minerva told him.

"Allergies?" asked Albus.

"Prawns!" she replied, her head still down the toilet.

"Why didn't you say?" asked Albus who was still rubbing her back.

"I didn't know that I was having them," she snapped irritably.

Albus lifted Minerva's face up with his hands and was surprised to see that her face was swollen and red, she tried to pull away from him but Albus wouldn't let her.

"Please don't look at me, Albus!" she pleaded. "I must look like a monster."

Albus chuckled softly and continued to look at her.

"It's not funny!" she snapped.

"I love you!" he told her tenderly.

He lent forward to kiss her but her hand found his chest and pushed him away. "I'm not letting you kiss me when I look like this," she told him firmly.

"But if I don't kiss the toad, it won't turn into a princess," he said with a smile.

Minerva would have given him a verbal tongue lashing if she hadn't been hit by another wave of nausea and was sick again. Albus kept on rubbing her back and carefully held back the strands of hair that were in danger of falling down beside her face into the toilet. He sighed quietly to himself. Would there ever be a chance to finally ask his question?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Written in the Stars **

After what seemed like hours, Minerva's sickness finally subsided but she was left very weak and her face was still swollen and red. Against her protests, Albus had stayed right by her side, holding her raven-colored hair and soothingly rubbing her back. His mere presence had helped to make an unpleasant situation bearable and for that she was thankful. He even held her lovingly in his arms as they sat on the bathroom floor between waves of sickness. When they were certain that she had seen the last of the partially digested food, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to her bed. With a wave of his wand, her day robes were exchanged for a soft silk nightgown and he tucked her into the warmed sheets. Seeing that she was comfortable, he made her promise to stay in bed until he returned. Not really having the strength to get up or protest, she willingly obeyed.

Moments later Albus returned with a vial of liquid from the skilled medi-witch in the infirmary. He had briefly explained that Minerva had experienced a rather nasty allergic reaction to some seafood and he needed something for the swelling in her face. When he entered Minerva's chambers, he saw that she was sleeping soundly, yet he had to wake her. Leaning over her sleeping form, he gently trailed a soft finger across her reddened cheek causing her to stir and lean into his touch.

"Minerva, dear. I need you to sit up and drink this. It will help combat the reaction and make you feel better." Watching her struggle to sit up, Albus moved onto the bed with her and supported her slender frame while she willingly downed the medicine offered. Within minutes, both could see that her face had started to return to its normal coloring and the swelling was drastically reduced.

Kissing her lightly on the forehead, Albus started to leave her for the night but she reached for his hand before he was able to stand. "Albus, thank you for taking such good care of me. I love you with all my heart and I am truly sorry I snapped at you."

"My dear, I understand. You weren't feeling well and it was partially my fault. If I had known about your allergy, I would never have fed the sandwich to you. Now you need to get some rest and I will check on you in the morning." Tenderly, he stroked her cheek and then placed light kisses on her cheeks and nose as she smiled up at him.

"Albus, please stay with me." Those simple yet profound words caused Albus' heart to swell with more love than even he dreamed possible. Even in her sickness, each had found a way to show a lasting commitment to their relationship and express so many things with so few words. Peering down at her, Albus couldn't help but smile as he removed his outer robe and transfigured it into a clean set of pajamas for himself.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to change into these and then we'll get some rest." Several minutes later, Albus emerged from the bathroom and climbed into bed. Without a moment's hesitation, Minerva snuggled close to his body and rested her weary head on his chest as his arms wrapped tightly around her. As she drifted off to sleep, Albus affectionately stroked her back and frequently kissed the top of her head until her body relaxed in slumber.

By the next morning, Minerva's symptoms had completely subsided and she was back to her usual self, although still a little leery of food. However, that didn't last too long because once Albus awoke and assessed Minerva's health, he conjured some nourishment for both of them. Sharing a breakfast in bed had been something they had always enjoyed after a night spent together but this was a different set of circumstances and called for special modifications. The menu this morning would not be strawberries and cream, eggs and bacon, or even pancakes with maple syrup. No, this morning called for dry toast and hot tea for two.

"Thank you again for staying with me. I feel much better this morning than I anticipated and I am sure it is because you were here with me. I am sorry to have ruined our evening." As she leaned into his arms again, she inhaled the scent of him and sighed contentedly. "Albus, before I interrupted you last night, I feel that you were making a speech that was leading up to something. Am I wrong or did I dream that?"

"My dear, you are truly a remarkable woman and a very subtle one too. I was merely attempting to lavish you with compliments and adoration when you so quickly stopped me in my tracks. It was not the reaction I had hoped for but I got you in bed anyway so I suppose it all worked out as planned." Giving him one of her rare and impish smirks, she quickly grabbed his sides and proceeded to tickle him until he begged for mercy. After granting his request, she leaned over his body and passionately caressed his warm lips.

Throughout the day and well into the next, Albus periodically stopped by her classroom or office unexpectedly to check on Minerva and to make sure that she wasn't overdoing it. She found his unscheduled visits uplifting and looked forward to seeing his bright blue eyes twinkling from a doorway at any given moment. She tried in vain to correct a set of essays that had piled up on her desk but her thoughts kept returning to the loving way he had been there for her and had shown such compassion at a weak moment for her. He was her strength in so many ways and she hoped that she made him feel loved above all others in her life. It was during this musing that she formed an idea.

A large brown barn owl swooped into Albus Dumbledore's office, causing Fawkes to emit a loud note of disapproval at the new bird's appearance. "Now, now Fawkes. What have I told you about being disrespectful to the owls that deliver our mail? They are merely doing their job." Taking the bit of parchment attached to its leg, Albus offered the owl a small treat and apologized for the behavior of his familiar. Reading the note, his eyes began to twinkle furiously and a faint blush painted his cheeks.

_A surprise awaits you in the Astronomy Tower at precisely 10 o'clock this evening. I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed. I'll be anxiously waiting your arrival._

_The Woman of your Dreams_

"Fawkes, I do believe tonight is the night. With any good luck at all, I will be able to ask Minerva to marry me and then she will officially join our family. What do you say to that, my friend?" By way of answering, Fawkes sang a beautiful song as Albus mused over what Minerva could have possibly planned so quickly. Ten o'clock would not arrive soon enough for the impatient wizard.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur for Albus. The more he tried to concentrate on work, the more his mind drifted away to thoughts of Minerva and the last time she had planned a surprise for him. Feeling flushed at that particular set of memories, he rose from his chair and crossed the room to stare out of one of the large windows in his office. The sun was setting on the horizon and from the look of the sky it would be a spectacular evening. Lost once again in a memory featuring Minerva, Albus did not hear the call from the fireplace or if he did, he showed no interest in answering the caller.

"Albus Dumbledore! Are you there? Honestly, I do not want to have to floo all the way to Hogwarts for this!" At that statement, Albus was pulled back to the present and immediately recognized the voice as that belonging to Cornelius Fudge, the assistant to Amelia Bones in the Department of Law Enforcement. Sighing unhappily, he slowly made his way across the room to address the intruder.

"Hello Cornelius. To what do I owe this visit? Normally your department would owl me so this must really be important." Conjuring a chair, Albus settled down for what he was sure would be a lengthy discussion about some trivial matter, which had absolutely nothing to do with him or the school for that matter.

"That's right, Albus. Settle in for a rest while the entire wizarding world is up in arms over your brother! Have you seen him?" Feeling his heart sink a little, Albus shook his head and explained that the last time he had seen his sibling had been at their home the night the ministry officials were searching for him. Not quite sure where this conversation was headed or how it might affect his evening, Albus tried to hurry along the flustered man in the fireplace for answers.

"Aberforth has been at it again Albus! We need your help to catch him or I fear that some farmer might take matters into his own hands. Do you have any idea what he's doing to those goats? He's trying to… he's… well I'm not really sure exactly what he's 'trying' to do but he's experimenting and that' s not good! We have everybody looking for him but it's as if he has disappeared. And you say you haven't seen him. I believe you need to come down to the ministry in case he tries to contact you tonight since we're out looking for him again. Yes, an excellent idea. And while you're here, you might help me with some taxing paperwork regarding your brother that I've been struggling with for three days! I'll see you in half an hour. I believe that our Minister of Magic, Millicent Bagnold, would love to hear your take on the things your brother has been doing!"

Albus could not believe his ears and even if he did, he was certain that he would not be making any trips to the Ministry of Magic this evening. Aberforth and the ministry had ruined his plans for proposal once already and they would not succeed again tonight. "Cornelius, I understand your dilemma but I am not leaving Hogwarts to sit and wait for my brother to contact me, which he may or may not do. I assure you that if he does owl me, I will inform you at my earliest convenience. And I have confidence that you will be able to handle your paperwork in a timely fashion. As it is, I have pressing matters of my own to which I must attend this evening. As a matter of fact, I have a meeting scheduled with one of my professors. Now if you will excuse me, it is almost time for dinner and I must not be late." To the dismay of the troubled man invading Albus' office, his words were not as cordial as they should have been but he knew better than to try to force Dumbledore to do something he did not wish to do. After offering a hasty goodbye, he disappeared from the floo network and Albus made his way to dinner.

Returning to his own rooms, Albus was a little disheartened and intrigued at the same time. Minerva had missed dinner, which meant she was probably working on the details of their meeting later in the evening. The stars were twinkling merrily in the velvety night sky and his anticipation was growing by the minute. Suddenly, the sound of a man coughing behind him caused Albus to whirl about, wand extended.

"Aberforth! You really must stop sneaking up on people like that and what, pray tell, are doing here? Of course you realize that the ministry officials are still searching for you and Fudge has already contacted me this evening."

"Splendid, dear chap! That means that I am two steps behind them, which is exactly where I want to be. They'll never think to come back here tonight and we can honestly say you were being truthful when you assured Fudge that you had not seen me." Plopping into the chair behind Albus' massive desk, a puzzled look flashed in a pair of crystal blue eyes.

"Dear brother, how do you know what I told Cornelius? I have made no mention of my private conversation with him." Caught by his own words, Aberforth explained that he had flooed into the wrong fireplace and ended up in Albus' bedroom mere moments before Fudge appeared in the floo network.

"And might I make a suggestion? Before you bring the ravishing Minerva back to your private bedchamber, how about a change of decoration? Honestly Albus it looks like something from a medieval fairy tale that has collided with the worst of Muggle society!"

"I'll have you know that Minerva has already seen my chambers and is rather fond of my decorating. Once she becomes the lady of those chambers in a more formal manner, she may decorate the rooms in any way she sees fit. But now is not the time to discuss my personal matters. I believe we were talking about you."

"Right, right. You always did win when it came to debating or steering a conversation to things of interest for you. I am still running from those scatterbrained gits at the ministry and the very last place they'll look for me now is Hogwarts. As much as I despise formal education, do you really think they'd spend loads of time searching these hallowed halls? I think not! So big brother, where do I sleep?"

Images of his evening with Minerva flashed through Albus mind as they mingled with his ruined night days ago. "Oh no, you don't. I unknowingly helped you out of a jam once this evening and I refuse to let you destroy another would be perfect evening with Minerva. I am meeting her in... good gracious… I must be off now to meet her. When I get back, I had better not find you in my school. Once they catch up to you, I will be more than happy to assist you in any way possible but I refuse to be an accomplice. Furthermore, I plan to pop the question to Minerva this evening and nothing and no one is going to stop me. You would not believe the troubles we've encountered." Bidding his brother a fond farewell and the best of luck, Albus reminded him of his warning and dashed from the office to meet the woman starring in his nightly fantasies.

Darkness had descended upon the castle and brought with it a billion stars and a large bright moon, which only added to the overall romantic atmosphere of the astronomy tower. The students loved to sneak up to the observation roof for a late night snog session and all too frequently, they were caught. Earlier in the day, Minerva had been struck with the idea of doing just that with Albus. After all, they weren't too old to meet in the tower for a little innocent fun under the stars but old enough to know exactly what they were doing.

Quickly climbing the stairs to the roof, Albus ran though various scenarios for the evening. He brought the cherished ring along and tried to calm his nerves. Each time he had attempted to ask Minerva the question plaguing his mind, his hopes had been dashed or the moment utterly destroyed by some outside force. But when he reached the landing and saw the woman of his dreams bathed in moonlight, every other thought floated away and there was nothing but the two of them in the world.

"It's nice to see that you made it. I was worried that someone might have detained you." Offering him her hand, a spark of electricity coursed between them as their fingers interlocked and Minerva drew him to her for the first of many long, deep kisses. Several blissful moments slipped away as the two enjoyed the feel of the other's light caresses.

Once they parted lips, Minerva showed Albus her creation. She had transfigured the bench, normally used for stargazing, into a magnificent swing, suspended in mid-air. The ornate seating resembled a porch swing but was decorated with fluffy cushions and was large enough for the couple to lounge comfortably in the arms of the other. Pulling him towards her masterpiece, she motioned for him to take a seat, before settling herself delicately into his lap as the swing began to rock them gently.

Albus was enjoying the time he spent with Minerva but he was always looking for the perfect moment to propose. With her snuggled in his arms and nuzzling his neck, however, he found it hard to concentrate. At times he wanted to just give in and sweep her off her feet. Then again, he wanted to make the marriage proposal memorable for years to come. Although the way things had been going so far, anything was better than what he had experienced. Struggling to form a coherent thought, he breathily began his latest attempt at a proposition of marriage.

"My love, you are amazing." Smiling, she gave a hearty laugh that reverberated against his skin, causing waves of emotions to crash inside him. "Oh my, that feels remarkable." Pulling back a bit from her advances, his eyes twinkled merrily at the sight of her rumpled hair. "My sweet, I adore you with every fiber of my being and I…" Just then, Minerva straightened in his arms and he saw her transform into the stern transfiguration professor the students respected and feared. "Minerva, what is it? What's the matter?"

"Quickly, Albus. Get up!" Doing as instructed without any hesitation, he cast a puzzled look at her as she returned the bench to its' original state and quickly repaired her mussed hair. "I hear students coming up the stairs. Listen." Albus had to admit that even though he strained to hear any noise, Minerva's cat like instincts were excellent as the heads of a boy and girl from Hufflepuff appeared in the stairwell.

"Well Mr. Cross and Miss Blake, isn't it? Would you care to explain why you are out of bed at this hour and most assuredly out of bounds?" Both students blushed furiously at the question and no other words were needed to explain their intentions.

"I believe your silence has spoken for itself. Not to mention the redness of your faces. We set certain guideline so that our students might be protected and this is most certainly a breach of those guidelines. By your lack of books, quills, and parchment, I am left to assume that you were not planning to study your astronomy lessons, which leads me to assume the other possibility. I think a deduction of 50 house points, each, will be necessary." Not daring to look at anyone but Professor McGonagall, both students hung their heads in shame. Albus, however, could not help but feel a bit of sympathy for them. After all, they were almost caught in the act of a wonderful snog session too. The only difference was that they were adults. Then she turned to him and he was amazed to see very little warmth in her eyes but her words left no room for confusion.

"Headmaster, I feel that we must conclude this meeting. I think I have made my feelings clear and will let them speak for me in my absence. I trust that you are capable of sorting things out for yourself. Now if you will excuse me, I will see that the students are taken to their Head of House for the appropriate punishment. I will see you at our morning meeting around 6. Is that correct?" Almost afraid to try to speak for fear of losing his voice, Albus merely nodded his head in agreement. "Good evening then. Until tomorrow morning…"

All alone in the tower, Albus looked to the stars for answers. _All I have wanted to do for days on end is to ask the most remarkable woman in the world to be my wife. So far, I have been subjected to a nosey poltergeist, a lost ring, a hyperactive sibling, a medical emergency, and now this! How much more am I to endure? I love her with every ounce of life in me and I long to make her dreams come true. Please, Merlin, help me! I am at my wits end and I feel that if I don't ask her soon I will lose all bits of sanity I still possess._ Dragging himself back to his office, he climbed into his bed alone and replayed her kisses over and over in his mind until sleep claimed him.

In his dreams, he was both plagued and graced with scenes from the past few days. He would see Minerva standing in bright sunlight reaching out to him. But just as he was about to take her hand someone or something would come between them and she would disappear. At other times, he would try to propose but nonsense words were all that would fall from his lips. Tangled in the mass of sheets, Albus freed himself and conjured a cup of cocoa by the fire. If he didn't get to ask his question soon, he would practically burst at the seams or suffer from extreme exhaustion due to lack of sleep. Never had he dreamed how difficult such a simple little thing could be. He didn't have this many problems running the school or in teaching classes in his younger days. Why, oh why was he being subjected to such torture when all he wanted was sheer bliss with the one woman who had the capability to provide everything he had ever wanted from life?


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Misunderstandings and Proposals **

Albus was awoken from his slumber by, someone sitting down on his bed. He rolled over and smiled at the person with his eyes still closed.

"Morning!" said Aberforth Dumbledore.

"What in the name of Merlin?" exclaimed Albus as he eyes flew open. "I thought I had made myself clear last night."

Aberforth simply smiled at his brother and swung his legs on to his bed, making himself more comfortable. "Is the lovely Minerva hiding beneath the covers?" questioned Aberforth with a smirk as he reached forward and brought the covers back revealing Albus' half naked body.

"Do you mind?" reacted Albus quickly as he snatched the covers back.

"Nice choice of night wear old chap," said Aberforth, with a hint of amusement as he regarded the pajama bottoms that were covered in sherbet lemons. "They would look better with goats on."

"Goats! I've had enough of this obsession with goats," replied Albus, looking rather disgruntled.

"But..." began Aberforth.

"Enough!" interrupted Albus. "What are you still doing here?"

"I had to have somewhere to sleep," answered Aberforth.

Albus climbed out of bed and reached for his dressing gown, which he wrapped tightly around himself. He eyed his brother with a hint of amusement then sat down in a rather large comfortable looking blue chair. Aberforth joined him beside the fire and sat down in the green chair that usually belonged to Minerva.

Minerva made her way along to the Headmaster's private rooms. It was just before six in the morning and she was looking forward to wrapping her arms around him. She had gone to bed lonely last night and had woken up the same that morning. She reached the picture of Merlin and whispered the password, 'Lovers Kiss'. Through this picture was her private entrance to his rooms. They had done this because they didn't want to draw attention to her visits at odd times of the day and night. She swept across the living room to the craved oak door that led to his bedroom. She was about to open the door when she heard two voices from within.

"So why haven't you done it yet?" she heard Aberforth ask Albus.

"I have tried to tell her a couple of times now but I keep getting interrupted and I don't want to just blurt it out," replied Albus, his voice was slightly muffled through the thick wooden door. But thanks to Minerva's animagus abilities she was able to hear him clearly.

"The longer you leave it, the harder it will become," said Aberforth.

"Speaking from experience?" asked Albus with a smile. "I must admit I didn't think it would be this hard."

"Well it was never meant to be easy, Albus," said Aberforth. "Just get it over and done with."

"I will just not blurt it out. She deserves more than that," replied Albus.

Minerva leaned against the door as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Silent tears spilled out of her emerald green eyes and her throat suddenly became very dry. She had to get out of his rooms. She ran through the living room partly blinded by her tears. As she ran out of the room she bumped into a table, a rather ugly looking red and green vase fell to the floor and smashed. She didn't care about the vase. Her world had just crumbled around her and she had to get out of Hogwarts.

She couldn't believe that Albus had another woman and his brother knew all about it. How could he do this to her? More tears fell down her cheeks as she ran to her rooms. She threw herself down on her bed as soon as she reached her rooms and sobbed.

Albus had heard the vase shatter and had gotten to his feet to investigate. His eyes fell upon the half-opened door and he knew straight away that Minerva had been in his rooms.

"It's not the Ministry officials, is it?" asked Aberforth, as he poked his head around the door and looked out.

"Minerva!" answered Albus.

"Why didn't she come in?" questioned Aberforth curiously.

Albus didn't hear his brother's question as he had already swept out of his rooms. He needed to find Minerva and find out why she had left without coming in to see him. Albus hurried along the corridor and swept into her quarters. He could hear crying coming from her bedroom. He quickly made his way over to her bedroom door and went to go in, but he found it was locked.

"Minerva darling?" he called. "What's happened?" He didn't receive an answer and his concern was growing. The damn door was locked and he had left his wand in his rooms.

"Minerva, let me in!" said Albus, trying the door again.

"Leave me alone, Albus Dumbledore!" she shouted.

"Minerva?" asked Albus. "Darling, what is the matter?"

"I hate you!" came Minerva's voice from the other side of the door.

Albus was confused. What had changed since the night before? He walked around to the other side of a large overflowing bookcase and lifted up the wall hanging that hung beside it. It revealed another door that led into her bedroom. He silently stepped into the room and saw that Minerva was curled up on her bed with her head in the pillows. Albus sat down beside her and went to place a hand on her shoulder. To his shock, she flinched away from him. She sat up and looked at him, her face was red and her eyes puffy.

"How could you do this to me, Albus?" she asked.

"I don't understand!" replied Albus.

"Don't you dare play the innocent with me, Albus Dumbledore!" she snapped as she pointed a finger at him. "I heard you talking with your brother."

"I still don't understand, Minerva!" said Albus, somewhat bemused by the whole situation.

"All I ask of you Albus," she said, "is why did you want to hurt me so? All I have ever done is love you and now it comes to my attention that you have another woman. Why have you made me fall deeper in love with you over this last few weeks? You have treated me like a princess but..."

"Another woman?" interrupted Albus. "Do you think I would do that to you? There is no other in my life as I only want you."

"I heard you!" snapped Minerva.

"You only heard part of the conversation, Minerva," answered Albus. It suddenly came to light that she must have heard his conversation with Aberforth and had taken it the completely wrong way.

Minerva wasn't listening to his excuses. She stood up and made her way over to the window and looked out on the grounds. "Now I know why you found the thought of marrying me so amusing because all along you were searching for a way out," said Minerva, more tears spilled out of her eyes.

"Oh Minerva, you are silly at times," said Albus with a smile.

"Does my distress please you?" she hissed.

"Of course it doesn't please me," he replied with a sigh. "Just give me a chance to explain."

"I don't want to hear your excuses. I would be grateful if you left me alone so I could continue with my packing."

"Packing?" questioned Albus.

"You heard correctly," she answered. "My departure means you can parade your floozy. I refuse to be made a laughing stock."

"But you can't leave!" pleaded Albus.

"To think I wanted to marry you," she said quietly. "All you had to do was ask and I would be yours forever."

"For the love of Merlin! Will you listen to me?" said Albus as he stood up and walked towards her. He clasped her shoulders lightly and made her look at him. "There is no other woman in my life. Why would I want another one when I have you? I am very much in love with you, Minerva. You hold the key to my heart."

"If what you say is true, why don't you want to marry me?" she asked.

"Minerva, I have been trying to ask you for the last few weeks but I kept getting interrupted or something happened," he told her tenderly.

"Have you?" she asked, wiping her tears away from her eyes.

"Yes!" he said with a chuckle.

"Oh Albus!" she replied, throwing herself into his arms and crying all over again.

"I love you so very much," he told her.

"But what were you and Aberforth talking about?" she suddenly questioned, pulling away from his embrace.

"He was telling me that I better get a move on and not to bother with all the romantic plans I had made," Albus explained.

"Oh Albus!" said Minerva. "I have been rather silly, haven't I? You tried to propose at the picnic, at the meal, and when Peeves came in."

"Yes plus a couple of other times," he chuckled.

Minerva snuggled into him closely, taking in his scent and mentally scolding herself for letting her mind get carried away.

"Shall I take your cuddles as an acceptance?" questioned Albus, with a smile.

"No!" she replied. "Ask me properly! I want a proper story to tell our children."

Luckily, Albus had placed her engagement ring in his dressing gown for safekeeping. He pulled it out as he went down on one knee. He took hold of her left hand and held it in his right.

"Minerva! You are my world and words simply do not convey how much I truly love you. Would you do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes," she said, smiling as she bent down to his level. "I will kiss be kiss honored kiss to become kiss Mrs. Albus kiss Dumbledore."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Bedtime Stories **

"And that is how he proposed to me all those years ago." Minerva stared into the wide eyes of her audience. She was just about to end the story there when their pleading and begging caused her to rethink her decision. Added to their voices was a very familiar one that caused her heart to skip a beat whenever she heard it.

"Yes, my dear. Please finish the story. I love the ending. Of course, there hasn't really been an ending to our lives together but it has been a wonderful adventure. I'm sure they would love to hear more, wouldn't you?" Turning to face them, Albus winked causing them to burst into fits of giggles. He had been listening outside the door and when she reached his favorite part of the story, he decided to join the gathering.

"Please finish it. You always stop at the same spot and we never get to hear the end of it! Every time we ask, you always say 'not tonight' or 'maybe another day'." Peering at her husband over the rim of her square spectacles, she sighed heavily. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell them the rest of the story. In fact, she had dreamed of this day ever since their own child had begged for the rest of it until she and Albus caved.

Leaning down to place a chaste kiss upon her cheek, Albus wrapped his arms around his wife's still slender waist. As he urged her to continue, she felt a warm rush flow through her as she leaned back into his embrace as he settled behind her on the bed. With promises to go straight to sleep at the end of her tale, a blue-eyed girl with auburn hair and a green-eyed boy with black hair snuggled into the bedding and anxiously awaited words to fall from their grandmother's lips. At long last, they were finally going to hear her tell them stories to accompany the dozens of pictures they had seen since they were old enough to remember!

As Minerva continued her story, she couldn't help but smile and blush as remembrances of days and events flooded her mind. She was being very selective with the remaining portion of the story and with good reason. Her captive audience did not need to know all the intimate details of the events that followed her acceptance of his proposal. After all, they knew the overall outcome and that was enough for now. No, one day she might add little things here and there to the story as she and her husband had done with their own child but the audience wasn't quite ready to hear those things. Besides, there were some things that were just too special to share with anyone else but Albus and he was there and had the same set of memories.

"But Grams, we never see you wearing a ring on your finger. And what did you say to Papa when he asked you? We feel like you're skipping parts and that's no fair!" Both children looked adoringly at their grandparents and Albus began to share his portion of the story.

"You see, my sweets, I did give your grandmother a very beautiful ring and for a while she was able to wear it. But as time progressed, some very powerful and dark witches and wizards began creating chaos in our world and for her safety, we had to keep our love a secret." Reaching over, Albus traced the shiny broach Minerva always wore on her robes. "This, my children, is what is left of her original ring. I transfigured it into this symbol of our unending commitment to each other and she wears it daily as a token of my love. My ring is worn around my neck as a token of her love for me. Do you understand?"

"We understand about the rings and that must have been scary! Grams, did you do anything special to let Papa know you'd marry him or did you just say 'yes'?" Minerva had not realized how quickly she could still produce a full-fledged blush! Her cheeks were almost warm enough to cause Poppy to believe she had a high fever.

Turning her face towards Albus', she immediately knew that he would be of no assistance where this question was concerned. She had answered him alright, but it was not something they were prepared to share with their child, much less their grandchildren. "I… well… I told him how very much I loved him. I even hugged and kissed him, in an adult sort of way."

Noticing the grimacing faces of her little ones, she had to smile a bit. They were growing up fast but had not reached the point of being comfortable with adult displays of affection just yet. "Let's just say that we had a private celebration with just the two of us and no interruptions this time. It was a beautiful time and your Papa took extra special care of me that day." Albus couldn't help it. As she told scattered details about the remainder of that wonderful day to the offspring of their only child, he pulled her even closer to him and placed a very tender kiss on the side of her neck.

"I bet you did a lot of kissing and hugging, didn't you Papa?" This time it was Albus' turn to blush. His granddaughter was just like her Grams. She always cut straight to the heart of the matter, regardless of how it affected others in the room. It was that quality and so many others that allowed him a glimpse of what Minerva must have been like as a small child.

"Well, there was some kissing involved and some hugging too I believe. Listen, I thought you wanted Grams to finish the story for you and this is getting us nowhere. The only things we will tell you are that I proposed, your Grams accepted, we kissed, and spent the rest of our day together, alone. That will have to be enough information until you are a lot older. And even then we probably won't fill in the blanks where this area is concerned. We never did it for your father. Now Minerva… would you care to tell them about our wedding day so we can all go to bed before the sun rises?"

Much to her amusement, Albus was squirming a bit under the direct questioning of their precious granddaughter and grandson. And it always made her laugh when they got the better of him since it was a rare occasion. When she began telling them about the wedding day, she noticed that she had lost their attention briefly. Unsure of what had caused the diversion she turned to stare into the familiar blue eyes of Albus. His twinkling gaze was all she needed to see to know that he had been enjoying her storytelling.

The woman before them had a wonderful way of weaving together the events of their lives. No one outside of her family would ever guess that about her but it was true. Whenever she told them fantastic tales she always managed to produce the most amazing voices for each of the characters and sometimes she even had help. Albus loved to try and imitate Minerva's voice and reactions to certain things and, in retaliation she did her best to show their grandchildren what a silly man their grandfather was at times. It was all done in fun and the children loved it so much.

"Albus, who is telling this story?" A mock look of disbelief shadowed his face as he vehemently denied having anything to do with the children's behavior. Assuring her that they were each captivated by her soothing voice and intriguing details, he kissed the back of her hand and encouraged her to continue.

The faces of a little boy and a little girl stared up into the emerald green eyes of the woman and the crystal blue pools of the man perched on the edge of their bed. They had listened intently to the story as they told it and had been in fits of giggles in some parts. They were especially keen on the bits concerning Aberforth. Any tale involving him was sure to be a hit when them, but Albus only told those fairy-tales. He tried to do so when Minerva wasn't listening.

She did not entirely approve of spreading the rumors about Albus' brother, although most had been proven to be true. Still, she did not want her family, especially her grandchildren, subjected to those types of things at such an early age. Even when she told the stories involving their Great Uncle Aberforth in some minuscule way, Albus would frequently inject funny details or conversations he had shared with him, which only enhanced the overall fabric of the story and worried his wife of over fifty years!

After an additional half hour of sharing her most wonderful memories with her grandchildren, Minerva drew the story to a close. They had 'oohed' and 'aahed' at all the elaborate details from the small wedding and had even asked a few more questions, which Albus took delight in answering for them. Tucking them snugly into the large bed, both Albus and Minerva took turns kissing the children on the tops of their heads. Lowering the lights in the room, they bid the little ones "pleasant dreams" before heading to their own room to unwind.

"You really enjoyed watching me squirm in there, didn't you, Albus? They are growing up so fast. I can still see them wrapped warmly on the days they each were born." Studying her aging face in the mirror she suddenly turned to her husband and asked a very pointed question. "Albus, are we getting old?" Minerva's long tresses of hair still danced about her face and neck in waves of raven colored curls now streaked with a distinguishable gray when she loosed them from the confining bun she wore daily. Albus crossed the room and with a wave of his hand, her hair flowed freely down her back as he laced his fingers through it, savoring the feel of the silky strands between his long digits.

"My dear, you are as beautiful today as the day I married you. Yes, we are getting older but just looking at our beautiful grandchildren I can see tiny bits of our youth in them. Athena has your spirit, your inquisitive nature, your zest for life and a courage that inhabits her very soul. She is so much like you that it is almost as if you gave birth to her. She certainly inherited your traits from their father. Percival has my aloofness, my sense of humor, my thirst for knowledge and a trusting nature. They each possess some of our finest qualities and for that we can be proud. Now, do not get melancholy on me this evening. By the way you told our story tonight, I know you remember what today is. Do you not?"

Wrapping her arms around his waist, Minerva rose to snuggle close to the man she had adored since the beginning of time. "Albus my love, there is nothing in this world that would make me forget the significance of today. After all, it's not everyday a girl almost loses the man she adores only to learn that he has been trying to propose to her in the most romantic situations his heart could inspire. This anniversary has been made even more special by the presence of those two angels in the other room. I am so glad that they were allowed to spend the weekend. But I am even more thankful for you. Do I at least get a kiss to mark the beginning of another year together? Or would you rather try to propose to me again and see if it goes smoothly this time?"

Bending down slowly, Albus' heart began to race. He felt like a teenager kissing the girl of his dreams each and every time his lips touched hers. And today was no exception. Teasingly, he lightly touched the corners of her mouth with his soft lips while his hands pulled her closer and began to run up and down her back in tender movements. A slight whimper escaped her mouth in anticipation of his next moves. She longed for a real kiss and she was not disappointed. Bringing a hand up to cup her cheek, Albus captured her delicate lips with his. Immediately, she responded to his caresses, encouraging him to deepen the kiss and to share the vast amount of desire he held for her.

"Ah, my dear you still light a fire in this old heart of mine. Shall we retire to a more comfortable location so that I can see if I am able to do the same for you? I have a feeling that you are not entirely tired and this may help us to both relax a bit." The twinkle in his eyes was met with a mischievous glare from the beauty before him.

"I would love to join you, sweetheart. Lead the way! But you must remember, there are children in the house! So none of your 'brilliant' ideas or amusing antics this evening. Just spoil me to death and that will do." As he took her hand in his, a giddy feeling crept into her stomach. Each and every time he looked at her in that special way, she felt a rush of excitement and anticipation. He excited her as no other could. Even though they were in their advanced years, it had not stopped them from enjoying all the pleasures life has to offer. In some ways, it had even improved with age. There was no rush of passion, no fumbling hands, no timid movements. It was magic in its most basic and purest form.

As the night wore on, the two lovers spent the rest of the evening wrapped in loving arms. Lying in the dark room, Albus' nimble fingers lightly traced patterns on the creamy white shoulders and back of the woman snuggled close to his sated body. "Minerva, have you ever wondered what would have happened if I had actually been able to propose that first night?"

Raising her head from his chest, she stared into his crystal eyes. "I imagine something along the lines of what we just did or what we experienced when you did finally ask me. But I'm glad you were interrupted so many times. Look at the wonderful memories we have to share with our family. I have never felt so loved as I did during that time and it was all because of a few minor mishaps and some romantic plans on your part. I must say, Albus, you really knew the way to my heart."

"And still do, my dear, and still do." Rolling her onto her back, he began to seductively nibble on her ear as his hands began to lovingly wander about her soft skin. He was mere seconds away from taking the next logical step in proving his love again to her when a frightened voice called from another room.

"Grams, Papa… come quickly! I had a bad dream and I'm scared." Sighing a bit, Albus released Minerva from his arms and quickly the two dressed. Before heading to the bedroom down the hall Minerva stopped him with a hand on his cheek.

"Hold that thought, my dear, and hold it tightly. The night is still young. We may have been interrupted once again, but I promise you before the sun rises, you will have your chance. And without any interruptions! My advice to you is to conserve your energy and think of new and exciting ways to shower me with your love. I assure you, I will do the same."

After a playful slap on Albus' bum, Minerva composed herself and walked briskly to the bedside of her granddaughter, followed quickly by husband. For now, they had to console a frightened child but later, the night would belong to them. And even if they were interrupted again, they had already learned what a few minor accidents could do for a relationship. And a few more hours of anticipation would only make the time spent together that much sweeter. After all, given enough space and silence, the mind can conjure the best images and ideas and sometimes that can make all the difference in the world of love!

Finite


End file.
